Airspace Management System for an Airspace Region

ABSTRACT

Systems, methods and non-transitory computer readable storage media for airspace management within an airspace region at a node of a peer to peer network having a plurality of nodes and maintaining a blockchain containing a current deconflicted flight schedule for the airspace region. One method includes receiving requests for airspace reservations, each including flight plan data, from other nodes over the peer to peer network, compiling the flight plan data to identify conflicts between the requests and the current deconflicted flight schedule, validating the flight plan data of the requests that do not conflict with the current deconflicted flight schedule to generate validated airspace reservations, creating a block containing the validated airspace reservations and interlinking the block with the blockchain such that the blockchain contains a new deconflicted flight schedule for the airspace region for broadcast to the other nodes over the peer to peer network.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of co-pending application Ser.No. 17/159,443 filed Jan. 27, 2021, which is a continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 16/992,064 filed Aug. 12, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No.10,909,857, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 16/691,540filed Nov. 21, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,748,429, which is acontinuation of application Ser. No. 15/877,513 filed Jan. 23, 2018, nowU.S. Pat. No. 10,497,267.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates, in general, to air traffic controlsystems for managing air traffic through controlled airspace and, inparticular, to a decentralized airspace management system that securelymaintains a deconflicted flight schedule within a blockchain for airtaxi services within an airspace region.

BACKGROUND

Conventional air traffic control systems assist aircraft in taking offfrom a departure airdrome, such as a small general aviation airfield, alarge commercial airport or a military airbase, transiting throughcontrolled and non-controlled airspace and landing at a destinationairdrome. Air traffic control services are typically provided byground-based air traffic control personnel that guide aircraft throughcontrolled airspace, such as high-volume air traffic areas includingairports. In addition, air traffic controllers may provide advisoryservices to aircraft in non-controlled airspace. The primary purpose ofair traffic control is to prevent collisions as well as to organize andexpedite the flow of air traffic by providing information and othersupport to pilots. Importantly, air traffic control enforces trafficseparation rules that require each aircraft to maintain a minimum amountof empty space around it at all times to prevent collisions.

Traditionally, visual observation by air traffic controllers located ina control tower is the primary method of controlling airspace in theimmediate airport environment. For example, air traffic controllers areresponsible for the separation and efficient movement of aircraftoperating on the taxiways and runways of the airport as well as in theairspace near the airport, such as within 5 to 10 miles of the airport.As new forms of air transportation are introduced and consumers come torely more and more on such air transportation, the volume of air trafficwithin currently controlled airspace as well as currently non-controlledairspace will increase. In addition, centralized systems in which humansplay a significant role in the provisioning of services, such astraditional air traffic control, are subject to single point failurepotential, due to, for example, data integrity issues and human error.Accordingly, a need has arisen for an improved airspace managementsystem that does not rely on centralized data or systems and is notsubject to the single point failure potential.

SUMMARY

In a first aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system forairspace management within an airspace region. The system operateswithin a peer to peer network having a plurality of nodes. The systemincludes a blockchain containing a current deconflicted flight schedulefor the airspace region. Each node includes a computer-useablenon-transitory storage resource and a processor communicably coupled tothe storage resource. The processor executes application codeinstructions stored in the storage resource that are configured to causethe node to receive one or more requests for airspace reservations fromother nodes over the peer to peer network, each request for airspacereservations including flight plan data; compile the flight plan data toidentify conflicts between the requests for airspace reservations andthe current deconflicted flight schedule; validate the flight plan dataof the requests for airspace reservations that do not conflict with thecurrent deconflicted flight schedule to generate validated airspacereservations; create a block containing the validated airspacereservations; and interlink the block with the blockchain such that theblockchain contains a new deconflicted flight schedule for the airspaceregion for broadcast to the other nodes over the peer to peer network.

In some embodiments, the node may be configured to receive apredetermined number of requests for airspace reservations prior tocompiling the flight plan data. In other embodiments, the node may beconfigured to receive requests for airspace reservations for apredetermined time prior to compiling the flight plan data. In certainembodiments, the requests for airspace reservations may includeprioritized airspace reservation options. In such embodiments, the nodemay be configured to optimize the validated airspace reservations basedupon the prioritized airspace reservation options in the requests forairspace reservations. In some embodiments, the node may be configuredto permanently and unalterably add the block to the blockchain. Incertain embodiments, the node may be configured to broadcast the newdeconflicted flight schedule for the airspace region to the other nodesover the peer to peer network. In some embodiments, the node may beconfigured to deny requests for airspace reservations that conflict withthe current deconflicted flight schedule of the blockchain.

In certain embodiments, the flight plan data of each request forairspace reservations may include departure airdrome, departure time,airspace corridor, arrival airdrome and arrival time data. In someembodiments, a validated airspace reservation corresponding with arequest for airspace reservations may include the flight plan data fromthe request for airspace reservations. In other embodiments, a validatedairspace reservation corresponding with a request for airspacereservations may include revised flight plan data for the request forairspace reservations. In certain embodiments, at least some of thenodes may be flight control computers of unmanned aircraft. In someembodiments, at least some of the nodes may be pilot operated computingsystems for manned aircraft. In certain embodiments, the plurality ofnodes may include an air taxi service.

In a second aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a computeraided method for airspace management within an airspace region at a nodeof a peer to peer network having a plurality of nodes and maintaining ablockchain containing a current deconflicted flight schedule for theairspace region. The method includes receiving one or more requests forairspace reservations from other nodes over the peer to peer network,each request for airspace reservations including flight plan data;compiling the flight plan data to identify conflicts between therequests for airspace reservations and the current deconflicted flightschedule; validating the flight plan data of the requests for airspacereservations that do not conflict with the current deconflicted flightschedule to generate validated airspace reservations; creating a blockcontaining the validated airspace reservations; and interlinking theblock with the blockchain such that the blockchain contains a newdeconflicted flight schedule for the airspace region for broadcast tothe other nodes over the peer to peer network.

The method may also include receiving a predetermined number of requestsfor airspace reservations prior to compiling the flight plan data;receiving requests for airspace reservations for a predetermined timeprior to compiling the flight plan data; optimizing airspacereservations based upon prioritized airspace reservation options in therequests for airspace reservations; permanently and unalterably addingthe block to the blockchain; broadcasting the new deconflicted flightschedule for the airspace region to the other nodes over the peer topeer network and/or denying requests for airspace reservations thatconflict with the current deconflicted flight schedule.

In a third aspect, the present disclosure is directed to anon-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-readableinstructions for instructing a computer to manage airspace within anairspace region at a node of a peer to peer network having a pluralityof nodes and maintaining a blockchain containing a current deconflictedflight schedule for the airspace region. The computer-readableinstructions include instructions configured to cause the computer toreceive one or more requests for airspace reservations from other nodesover the peer to peer network, each request for airspace reservationsincluding flight plan data; compile the flight plan data to identifyconflicts between the requests for airspace reservations and the currentdeconflicted flight schedule; validate the flight plan data of therequests for airspace reservations that do not conflict with the currentdeconflicted flight schedule to generate validated airspacereservations; create a block containing the validated airspacereservations; and interlink the block with the blockchain such that theblockchain contains a new deconflicted flight schedule for the airspaceregion for broadcast to the other nodes over the peer to peer network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the features and advantages of thepresent disclosure, reference is now made to the detailed descriptionalong with the accompanying figures in which corresponding numerals inthe different figures refer to corresponding parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is plan view of an airspace region in which an air taxi serviceis using a blockchain airspace management system in accordance withembodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a systems diagram illustrating components of a peer to peernetwork operating a blockchain airspace management system in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a systems diagram illustrating a node of a peer to peernetwork operating a blockchain airspace management system in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4A is a diagram of a blockchain containing a current deconflictedflight schedule in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 4B is a diagram depicting the validation of requests for airspacereservations in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4C is a diagram of a blockchain containing a new deconflictedflight schedule in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure; and

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of an algorithm for blockchain airspacemanagement in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the making and using of various embodiments of the presentdisclosure are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated thatthe present disclosure provides many applicable inventive concepts,which can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. Thespecific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative and do notdelimit the scope of the present disclosure. In the interest of clarity,not all features of an actual implementation may be described in thepresent disclosure. It will of course be appreciated that in thedevelopment of any such actual embodiment, numerousimplementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve thedeveloper's specific goals, such as compliance with system-related andbusiness-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation toanother. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effortmight be complex and time-consuming but would be a routine undertakingfor those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of thisdisclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1 , an airspace region having air taxi services isschematically illustrated and generally designated 10. Airspace region10 may overlay any geographical area such as a metropolitan areaincluding one or more cities such as the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Asused herein, the term airspace region may refer to airspace that ismanaged by a blockchain airspace management system of the presentdisclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, airspace region 10 includeairports 12, 14, 16 that may provide air passenger and/or air cargoservices. Each airport 12, 14, 16 preferable provides air trafficcontrol services for the controlled airspace near that airport. Inaddition, flights to and from airports 12, 14, 16 typically havewell-defined arrival and departure routes. Such controlled airspace aswell as the arrival and departure routes associated therewith may beindependent of or included within the blockchain airspace managementsystem of the present disclosure.

While flights departing from and arriving at airports 12, 14, 16 aretypically long range flights arriving or departing from an airportoutside of airspace region 10, a primary focus of the illustratedembodiment of the blockchain airspace management system is air taxiservices, wherein short and medium range flights depart and arrivewithin airspace region 10. In other embodiments of air taxi services,however, certain flights could depart or arrive outside of an airspaceregion. As illustrated, instead of requiring runways as the endpointsfor flights, the air taxis of the present disclosure are operable totakeoff and land without runways and are preferably vertical takeoff andlanding (VTOL) aircraft. For example, the air taxis of the presentdisclosure may utilize a vertical lift or helicopter mode for takeoffsand landings and a forward thrust or airplane mode using wing-borneflight for efficient, high speed and/or extended range flight. In otherembodiments, the air taxis may utilize the helicopter mode for takeoffs,forward flight and landings.

In the illustrated embodiment, the air taxis transport passengersbetween microairdromes within airspace region 10. For example, air taxi18 is providing air passenger transportation between microairdrome 20and microairdrome 22 along airspace corridor 24. Similarly, air taxis26, 34 are providing air passenger transportation between microairdrome28 and microairdrome 30 along airspace corridor 32. The microairdromesmay be any location where it is desirable and/or suitable for an airtaxi to takeoff and land. For example, microairdromes may be permanentlydesignated areas in residential neighborhoods, in parking lots, onparking structures, on buildings or other similar locations wherein themicroairdromes have designations similar to helipads. Additionally,microairdromes may be selectively designated areas that are temporarilyused for air taxis services such as driveways, yards, cul-de-sacs orother safe locations. The air taxis may by pilot operated, remoteoperated or autonomously operated aircraft. The air taxis preferablyinclude digital flight control computers that manage the flightoperations of the aircraft and may be nodes within the blockchainairspace management system.

In the illustrated embodiment, the air taxis provide safe, efficient,low noise and environmentally-friendly air passenger transportationbetween microairdromes on a short to medium range basis. FIG. 1illustrates air taxi activity within airspace region 10 at a moment intime in which nine air taxis are in flight between respective departureand arrival microairdromes. To ensure flight safety, air taxis withinairspace region 10 must be separated by a minimum amount of empty spaceit at all times. For example, air taxi 18 and air taxi 26 are travellingin different airspace corridors 24, 32. Similarly, while air taxi 26 andair taxi 34 are travelling in the same airspace corridor 32 they areseparated by time. Unlike traffic patterns around airports wherein thearrival and departure corridors remain substantially constant over time,the departure and arrival microairdromes as well as the location andnumber of air taxis within airspace region 10 is constantly changingyielding randomized airspace utilization. Convention air traffic controlsystems are unable to effectively organize and expedite the flow of airtraffic in such conditions.

In the present embodiments, such diverse and high volume air traffic isorganized using a decentralized airspace management system that receivesrequests for airspace reservations, validates non conflicting airspacereservations and securely maintain a deconflicted flight schedule forair taxi services for airspace region 10 within the blockchain airspacemanagement system. For example, each air taxi is preferably a nodewithin a peer to peer network that receives all requests for airspacereservations within airspace region 10 from the other nodes in thenetwork. The nodes may then compete to generate and disseminate anupdated deconflicted flight schedule for airspace region 10. Thecompetition includes compiling flight plan data from the requests toidentify conflicts between the requests and a current deconflictedflight schedule maintained in the blockchain, validating the flight plandata of the requests that do not conflict with the current deconflictedflight schedule to generate validated airspace reservations, creating ablock containing the validated airspace reservations and interlinkingthe block with the blockchain such that the blockchain contains the newdeconflicted flight schedule for airspace region 10 that is broadcast tothe other nodes over the peer to peer network.

Referring additionally to FIG. 2 , a systems diagram illustratingcomponents of a blockchain airspace management system 50 is depicted. Inthe illustrated embodiment, system 50 is a peer to peer networkincluding a plurality of nodes 52, 54, 56, 58 denoted as node 1, node 2,node 3 . . . node N, representing any number of nodes within system 50.Nodes 52, 54, 56, 58 communicate with one another over a communicationsnetwork 60, such as a mesh network, the Internet, a secure intranetusing, for example, the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) or othersuitable communications structure. As illustrated, each node 52, 54, 56,58 executes an instance of a blockchain reservation application 62(BCRA) that together form blockchain airspace management system 50 andmaintain the current deconflicted flight schedule for airspace region 10in a blockchain. Blockchain airspace management system 50 providessignificant benefits over traditional air traffic control systemsincluding removal of the single point failure potential throughdisintermediation of a decentralized network. Blockchain airspacemanagement system 50 also benefits from maintaining a deconflictedflight schedule that is complete, consistent, timely, accurate andwidely available. The use of blockchain airspace management system 50not only creates data transparency but also data security as thevalidated airspace reservations within the blockchain airspacemanagement system 50 are immutable as they cannot be altered or deleted.

As best seen in FIG. 3 , node 52 of the peer to peer network will now bedisclosed in further detail. Node 52 is representative of the othernodes within blockchain airspace management system 50, such as nodes 54,56, 58, therefore, for sake of efficiency, certain features will bedisclosed only with regard to node 52. One having ordinary skill in theart, however, will fully appreciate an understanding of the other nodesbased upon the disclosure herein of node 52. Node 52 includes acomputing machine 70 such as a mobile device, a laptop computer, atablet computer, a server, an embedded system, a computing system, aflight control computer, a customized machine, other hardware platformor any combination or multiplicity thereof. For example, computingmachine 70 may be a distributed computing system configured to functionusing multiple computing elements interconnected via a data network orbus system. Computing machine 70 operates responsive to an applicationsmodule 72 that may comprise one or more hardware or software elementsincluding, for example, operating system applications, user spaceapplications and kernel space applications, designed to facilitatecomputing machine 70 in performing the various methods and processingfunctions presented herein, such as BCRA 62. In the illustratedembodiment, computing machine 70 includes various internal or attachedcomponents such as a processor 74, a system bus 76, system memory 78,storage media 80, an input/output interface 82 and a network interface84 for communicating with external networks such as network 60, cellularnetworks, GPS networks and the like.

Processor 74 may be designed to execute code instructions in order toperform the operations and functionality described herein, managerequest flow and address mappings, and to perform calculations andgenerate commands. Processor 74 may be configured to monitor and controlthe operation of the other components in computing machine 70. Processor74 may be a general purpose processor, a processor core, amultiprocessor, a reconfigurable processor, a microcontroller, a digitalsignal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit(ASIC), a controller, a state machine, gated logic, discrete hardwarecomponents, any other processing unit, or any combination ormultiplicity thereof. Processor 74 may be a single processing unit,multiple processing units, a single processing core, multiple processingcores, special purpose processing cores, co-processors, or anycombination thereof. According to certain embodiments, processor 74 may,along with other components of computing machine 70, be a software basedor hardware based virtualized computing machine executing within one ormore other computing machines.

System memory 78 may include non-volatile memories such as read-onlymemory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, or any other devicecapable of storing program instructions or data with or without appliedpower. System memory 78 may also include volatile memories such asrandom access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), dynamicrandom access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory(SDRAM) or other types of RAM. System memory 78 may be implemented usinga single memory module or multiple memory modules. While system memory78 is depicted as being part of computing machine 70, one skilled in theart will recognize that system memory 78 may be separate from computingmachine 70 without departing from the scope of the subject technology.It should also be appreciated that system memory 78 may include, oroperate in conjunction with, a non-volatile storage device such asstorage media 80.

Storage media 80 may include a hard disk, a floppy disk, a compact discread-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disc (DVD), a Blu-raydisc, a magnetic tape, a flash memory, other non-volatile memory device,a solid state drive (SSD), any magnetic storage device, any opticalstorage device, any electrical storage device, any semiconductor storagedevice, any physical-based storage device, any other data storagedevice, or any combination or multiplicity thereof. Storage media 80 maystore one or more operating systems, application programs and programmodules, data, or any other information. Storage media 80 may be partof, or connected to, computing machine 70. Storage media 80 may also bepart of one or more other computing machines that are in communicationwith computing machine 70 such as servers, database servers, cloudstorage, network attached storage, and the like.

Applications module 72 may comprise one or more hardware or softwareelements configured to facilitate computing machine 70 with performingthe various methods and processing functions presented herein.Applications module 72 may include one or more algorithms or sequencesof instructions, such as an instance of blockchain reservationapplication 62, stored as software or firmware in association withsystem memory 78, storage media 80 or both. Storage media 80 maytherefore represent examples of machine or computer readable media onwhich instructions or code can be stored for execution by processor 74.Machine or computer readable media may generally refer to any medium ormedia used to provide instructions to processor 74. Such machine orcomputer readable media associated with applications module 72 maycomprise a computer software product. It should be appreciated that acomputer software product comprising applications module 72 may also beassociated with one or more processes or methods for deliveringapplications module 72 to computing machine 70 via a network, anysignal-bearing medium, or any other communication or deliverytechnology. Applications module 72 may also comprise hardware circuitsor information for configuring hardware circuits such as microcode orconfiguration information for an FPGA or other PLD. In one exemplaryembodiment, applications module 72 may include algorithms capable ofperforming the functional operations described by the flow charts andcomputer systems presented herein for blockchain airspace managementsystem 50.

Input/output (I/O) interface 82 may be configured to couple to one ormore external devices, to receive data from the one or more externaldevices, and to send data to the one or more external devices. Suchexternal devices along with the various internal devices can also beknown as peripheral devices. I/O interface 82 may include bothelectrical and physical connections for coupling the various peripheraldevices to computing machine 70 and/or processor 74. I/O interface 82may be configured to communicate data, addresses, and control signalsbetween the peripheral devices, computing machine 70 and/or processor74. I/O interface 82 may be configured to implement any standardinterface, such as small computer system interface (SCSI),serial-attached SCSI (SAS), fiber channel, peripheral componentinterconnect (PCI), PCI express (PCIe), serial bus, parallel bus,advanced technology attached (ATA), serial ATA (SATA), universal serialbus (USB), Thunderbolt, FireWire, various video buses, and the like. I/Ointerface 82 may be configured to implement only one interface or bustechnology. Alternatively, I/O interface 82 may be configured toimplement multiple interfaces or bus technologies. I/O interface 82 maybe configured as part of, all of, or to operate in conjunction with,system bus 76. I/O interface 82 may include one or more buffers forbuffering transmissions between one or more external devices, internaldevices, computing machine 70 and/or processor 74.

I/O interface 82 may couple computing machine 70 to various inputdevices including mice, touch-screens, scanners, electronic digitizers,sensors, receivers, touchpads, trackballs, cameras, microphones,keyboards, any other pointing devices, or any combinations thereof. I/Ointerface 82 may couple computing machine 70 to various output devicesincluding video displays, speakers, printers, projectors, tactilefeedback devices, automation control, robotic components, actuators,motors, fans, solenoids, valves, pumps, transmitters, signal emitters,lights, and the like.

Computing machine 70 may operate in a networked environment usinglogical connections through network interface 84 to one or more othersystems or computing machines across a network. The network may includewide area networks (WAN), local area networks (LAN), intranets, theInternet, mesh networks, wireless access networks, wired networks,mobile networks, telephone networks, optical networks or combinationsthereof. The network may be packet switched, circuit switched, of anytopology and may use any communication protocol. Communication linkswithin the network may involve various digital or analog communicationmedia such as fiber optic cables, free-space optics, waveguides,electrical conductors, wireless links, antennas, radio-frequencycommunications and the like.

Processor 74 may be connected to the other elements of computing machine70 or the various peripherals discussed herein through system bus 76. Itshould be appreciated that system bus 76 can be within processor 74,outside processor 74 or both. According to some embodiments, any ofprocessor 74 and other elements of computing machine 70, or the variousperipherals discussed herein can be integrated into a single device suchas a system on chip (SOC), system on package (SOP) or ASIC device.

Referring next to FIGS. 4A-4C, the operation of blockchain airspacemanagement system 50 will now be described. At the core of blockchainairspace management system 50 is the decentralized storage and updatingof a deconflicted flight schedule for airspace region 10 by the nodes ofblockchain airspace management system 50 in the form of blockchain 100.Blockchain 100 consists of a constantly growing series of blocks 102,104, 106, 108 that are connected to each other in chronological order.As illustrated, the ellipses represent previous blocks in blockchain 100and Block N represents the most recent block added to blockchain 100with Blocks N−3, Block N−2 and Block N−1 depicted therebetween. Eachblock 102, 104, 106, 108 in blockchain 100 contains a header and a bodysuch as header 102 a and body 102 b of block 102, header 104 a and body104 b of block 104, header 106 a and body 106 b of block 106 and header108 a and body 108 b of block 108. In the illustrated embodiment,headers 102 a, 104 a, 106 a, 108 a contain a hash value of the previousblock and a hash value of the current block. For example, header 102 aincludes H(Block N−4) of the previous block (not pictured) and H(BlockN−3) of current block 102, header 104 a includes H(Block N−3) ofprevious block 102 and H(Block N−2) of current block 104, header 106 aincludes H(Block N−2) of previous block 104 and H(Block N−1) of currentblock 106 and header 108 a includes H(Block N−1) of previous block 106and H(Block N) of current block 108. For each block 102, 104, 106, 108in blockchain 100, the hash value of the previous block is used incalculating the hash value of the current block, which cryptographicallyinterlinks the blocks within blockchain 100. Headers 102 a, 104 a, 106a, 108 a may contain other or additional information such as a Merkletree hash, a timestamp, a nonce and the like.

In the illustrated embodiment, the body 102 b, 104 b, 106 b, 108 b ofeach block 102, 104, 106, 108 contains flight plan data associated withvalidated airspace reservations contained within blockchain 100 andforming the current deconflicted flight schedule for airspace region 10.For example, body 102 b of block 102 includes validated airspacereservations denoted as VAR 10001-VAR 10005, body 104 b of block 104includes validated airspace reservations denoted as VAR 10006-VAR 10010,body 106 b of block 106 includes validated airspace reservations denotedas VAR 10011-VAR 10015 and body 108 b of block 108 includes validatedairspace reservations denoted as VAR 10016-VAR 10020. Each of thevalidated airspace reservations is a record or entry within the currentdeconflicted flight schedule for airspace region 10 maintained withinblockchain 100, with blockchain 100 containing all the validatedairspace reservations for airspace region 10, thereby forming the entiredeconflicted flight schedule for airspace region 10. Even though eachbody 102 b, 104 b, 106 b, 108 b has been illustrated as including fivevalidated airspace reservations, it should be understood by those havingordinary skill in the art that the bodies of the blocks of the presentdisclosure could have any number of validated airspace reservations. Inaddition, even though each body 102 b, 104 b, 106 b, 108 b has beenillustrated as including the same number of validated airspacereservations, it should be understood by those having ordinary skill inthe art that the bodies of the blocks of the present disclosure couldhave different numbers of validated airspace reservations.

An embodiment of receiving and compiling flight plan data for inclusionwithin blockchain 100 will now be described. As best seen in FIG. 4B,requests for airspace reservations are generated by nodes withinblockchain airspace management system 50 and are propagated to the othernodes within blockchain airspace management system 50 as they aregenerated. In one example, the new requests are stored in a Requests forAirspace Reservations Table 110 containing the requests generated sincethe Block N was added to blockchain 100. As illustrated, table 110includes RAR 31001-RAR 31010. Each request for airspace reservations mayinclude values in the following data fields:

DT/DL—Departure Time/Departure Location;

AT/AL—Arrival Time/Arrival Location;

AC—Airspace Corridor; and

NID—Node Identification (Pilot ID, Aircraft ID, Public Key, etc.).

Even though a specific data set has been described as being included ina request for airspace reservations, it should be understood by thosehaving ordinary skill in the art that the values within a request forairspace reservations of the present disclosure could contain adifferent data set including either more, less or alternative dataitems. For example, the AC values of the flight plan data may includegeographical coordinates of the departure and arrival microairdromes andother associated data for the departure corridor, the mid-flightcorridor and the arrival corridor. The coordinates and associated datafor each corridor may further include any of way points, heading,bearing, altitude, altitude block, corridor width and mid-flight times.In some embodiments of blockchain airspace management system 50,coordinates and other relevant data within flight plan data may becommunicated and stored using GPS Exchange (GPX) data format.

Once a certain number of requests for airspace reservations has beenreceived, a certain time window has passed since the last block wasadded to blockchain 100 or other criteria has occurred, the variousnodes within blockchain airspace management system 50 operating aninstance of blockchain reservation application 62 compile the flightplan data in the requests for airspace reservations in table 110. Thisprocess includes comparing the flight plan data in the requests forairspace reservations to the flight plan data in the validated airspacereservations in the current deconflicted flight schedule for airspaceregion 10 maintained within blockchain 100. The process may progress ina sequential manner wherein each request for airspace reservations isconsidered in a chronological order based upon when it was entered intotable 110, a priority order based upon predetermined criteria or someother order system. Alternatively, the process may progress in a batchmanner wherein a certain number or all of the requests for airspacereservations are considered as a group being compared to one another aswell as being compared to the current deconflicted flight schedule.

When the compiling process identifies requests for airspace reservationsthat include non-conflicting flight plan data, such requests forairspace reservations containing the non-conflicting flight plan dataare validated. Validated airspace reservations are added to VAR Table112. In the present example, RAR 31001 is validated and becomes VAR10021, RAR 31002 is validated and becomes VAR 10022, RAR 31003 isvalidated and becomes VAR 10023, RAR 31005 is validated and becomes VAR10024 and RAR 31007 is validated and becomes VAR 10025. When thecompiling process identifies requests for airspace reservations thatinclude conflicting flight plan data, such requests for airspacereservations may be denied. In the present example, RAR 31004 and RAR31006 have been denied. For example, RAR 31004 may contain flight plandata that is in conflict with VAR 10016 of block 108 that is part of thecurrent deconflicted flight schedule for airspace region 10 maintainedwithin blockchain 100 and is thus permanent and unalterable. As anotherexample, RAR 31006 may contain flight plan data that is in conflict withRAR 31001 and thus only one of RAR 31001 and RAR 31006 may be validated,which in this case is RAR 31001.

Once a certain number of requests for airspace reservations havevalidated, a certain time window has passed since the last block wasadded to blockchain 100 or other criteria has occurred, the data in VARTable 112 is used to create a new block to be added to blockchain 100.Continuing with the present example, five requests for airspacereservations have been validated which triggers the creation of a newblock 114. As illustrated in FIG. 4C, blockchain 100 is now representedby the ellipses for previous blocks and Block N+1 representing the newblock added to blockchain 100 with Blocks N−2, Block N−1 and Block Ndepicted therebetween. Similar to previous blocks 104, 106, 108 inblockchain 100, block 114 is cryptographically interlinked withinblockchain 100 by including the hash value H(Block N) of the previousblock 108 as part of its header information denoted as header 114 a. Thebody 114 b of block 114 includes validated airspace reservations denotedas VAR 10021-VAR 10025 from VAT Table 112. Each of the new validatedairspace reservations VAR 10021-VAR 10025 is now a record or entrywithin the new deconflicted flight schedule for airspace region 10maintained within blockchain 100, with blockchain 100 containing all thevalidated airspace reservations for airspace region 10, thereby formingthe entire deconflicted flight schedule for airspace region 10. Theprocess of receiving and compiling requests for airspace reservations,generating validated airspace reservations and creating new blocks thatare cryptographically interlinked within blockchain 100 progresses on acontinual basis such that blockchain 100 always contains the currentdeconflicted flight schedule for airspace region 10.

Blockchain reservation application 62 may perform additional functionsduring the compiling process to optimize blockchain airspace managementsystem 50. In some embodiments, the requests for airspace reservationsmay include prioritized reservation options for one or more of theflight plan data values. For example, instead of including only oneoption for DT and AT values, the requests for airspace reservationscould alternatively include multiple preferences in rank order for DTand AT values. This type of flight plan data may includeDT1/AT1—11:00/11:20; DT2/AT2—11:10/11:30 and DT3/AT3—11:20/11:40. Inthis case, blockchain reservation application 62 could use any of the DTand AT prioritized reservation options to identify non conflictingflight plan data and generate a validated airspace reservation.

Similarly, blockchain reservation application 62 could make adjustmentsto flight plan data of a request for airspace reservations in order toavoid conflicts with validated airspace reservations in the currentdeconflicted flight schedule for airspace region 10. For example,blockchain reservation application 62 may change AC value in a requestfor airspace reservations to maintain suitable empty space relative toaircraft with validated airspace reservations in the currentdeconflicted flight schedule. In this case, in order to validate theflight plan data in the request for airspace reservations, blockchainreservation application 62 may adjust data for the AC value suchadjusting data relative any one or more of: way points, heading,bearing, altitude, altitude block, corridor width and mid-flight times.In this manner, blockchain reservation application 62 could adjustflight plan data to create non conflicting flight plan data suitable forbecoming a validated airspace reservation.

As another alternative, blockchain reservation application 62 could makeadjustments to flight plan data or event cancel a validated airspacereservation in the current deconflicted flight schedule for airspaceregion 10 based upon, for example, a high priority request for airspacereservations that conflicts with the validated airspace reservation. Forexample, blockchain reservation application 62 may utilize prioritysettings for emergency flights such as first responder flights, militaryflights, dignitary flights or other predetermined flight type. Anyadjustments to the flight plan data and/or cancellations of a validatedairspace reservation as well as the validated emergency flight datawould be added to blockchain 100 and become part of the new deconflictedflight schedule for airspace region 10.

Referring now to FIG. 5 , illustrated is a flow diagram of an algorithmfor blockchain airspace management, according to certain exampleembodiments, denoted generally as 200. The algorithms 200 begins atblock 202 where each node operating an instance of blockchainreservation application 62 on the peer to peer network receives requestsfor airspace reservations from the other nodes within blockchainairspace management system 50 that are requesting the use of airspacewithin airspace region 10. The algorithm 200 continues at block 204where flight plan data from the requests for airspace reservations arecompiled and at block 206 where conflicts between the requests forairspace reservations and the current deconflicted flight schedulecontained within blockchain 100 are identified. For flight plan datafrom a request for airspace reservations that conflicts with the currentdeconflicted flight schedule contained within blockchain 100, thealgorithm 200 denies the request in block 208. For flight plan data froma request for airspace reservations that does not conflict with thecurrent deconflicted flight schedule contained within blockchain 100,the algorithm 200 validates the flight plan data and generates avalidated airspace reservation in block 210. At block 212, the algorithm200 then creates a new block containing the newly validated airspacereservations. At block 214, the algorithm 200 cryptographicallyinterlinks the new block with blockchain 100 such that blockchain 100now contains a new deconflicted flight schedule for airspace region 10.In block 216, the algorithm broadcasts the new deconflicted flightschedule for airspace region 10 to the other nodes operating an instanceof blockchain reservation application 62 over the peer to peer network.In block 218, the data within blockchain 100 relating to the newdeconflicted flight schedule for airspace region 10 may be validated byother nodes operating an instance of blockchain reservation application62 on the peer to peer network. The algorithm 200 is continuallyrepeated by the nodes within the peer to peer network such thatblockchain 100 always contains the current deconflicted flight schedulefor airspace region 10.

Embodiments of blockchain airspace management system 50 may comprise acomputer program that embodies the functions described and illustratedherein, wherein the computer program is implemented in a computer systemthat comprises instructions stored in a machine-readable medium and aprocessor that executes the instructions. However, it should be apparentthat there could be many different ways of implementing embodiments incomputer programming, and the embodiments should not be construed aslimited to any one set of computer program instructions. Further, askilled programmer would be able to write such a computer program toimplement the disclosed embodiments based on the appended flow charts,algorithms and associated description herein. Therefore, disclosure of aparticular set of program code instructions is not considered necessaryfor an adequate understanding of how to make and use the disclosedembodiments. Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that oneor more aspects of the embodiments described herein may be performed byhardware, software or a combination thereof. Moreover, any reference toan act being performed by a computer should not be construed as beingperformed by a single computer as more than one computer may perform theact.

The example embodiments described herein may be used with computerhardware and software that perform the methods and processing functionsdescribed previously. The systems, methods and procedures describedherein may be embodied in a programmable computer, computer-executablesoftware or digital circuitry. The software may be stored oncomputer-readable media. For example, computer-readable media mayinclude a floppy disk, RAM, ROM, hard disk, removable media, flashmemory, memory stick, optical media, magneto-optical media, CD-ROM, etc.Digital circuitry may include integrated circuits, gate arrays, buildingblock logic, field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), etc. The examplesystems, methods and acts described in the embodiments presentedpreviously are illustrative and, in alternative embodiments, certainacts can be performed in a different order, in parallel with oneanother, omitted entirely and/or combined between different exampleembodiments and/or certain additional acts can be performed, withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of various embodiments. Accordingly,such alternative embodiments are included in the description herein.

As used herein, the term “hardware” may include a combination ofdiscrete components, an integrated circuit, an application-specificintegrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, or other suitablehardware. As used herein, the term “software” may include one or moreobjects, agents, threads, lines of code, subroutines, separate softwareapplications, two or more lines of code or other suitable softwarestructures operating in two or more software applications, on one ormore processors (where a processor includes one or more microcomputersor other suitable data processing units, memory devices, input-outputdevices, displays, data input devices such as a keyboard or a mouse,peripherals such as printers and speakers, associated drivers, controlcards, power sources, network devices, docking station devices, or othersuitable devices operating under control of software systems inconjunction with the processor or other devices), or other suitablesoftware structures. In one exemplary embodiment, software may includeone or more lines of code or other suitable software structuresoperating in a general purpose software application, such as anoperating system, and one or more lines of code or other suitablesoftware structures operating in a specific purpose softwareapplication. As used herein, the term “couple” and its cognate terms,such as “couples” and “coupled,” may include a physical connection (suchas a copper conductor), a virtual connection (such as through randomlyassigned memory locations of a data memory device), a logical connection(such as through logical gates of a semiconducting device), othersuitable connections, or a suitable combination of such connections. Theterm “data” may refer to a suitable structure for using, conveying orstoring data, such as a data field, a data buffer, a data message havingthe data value and sender/receiver address data, a control messagehaving the data value and one or more operators that cause the receivingsystem or component to perform a function using the data, or othersuitable hardware or software components for the electronic processingof data.

In general, a software system is a system that operates on a processorto perform predetermined functions in response to predetermined datafields. Unless a specific algorithm is disclosed, then any suitablealgorithm that would be known to one of skill in the art for performingthe function using the associated data fields is contemplated as fallingwithin the scope of the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the artwould be able to provide the specific coding for a specific applicationbased on the foregoing disclosure, which is intended to set forthexemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, and not to provide atutorial for someone having less than ordinary skill in the art, such assomeone who is unfamiliar with programming or processors in a suitableprogramming language. A specific algorithm for performing a function canbe provided in a flow chart form or in other suitable formats, where thedata fields and associated functions can be set forth in an exemplaryorder of operations, where the order can be rearranged as suitable andis not intended to be limiting unless explicitly stated to be limiting.

The foregoing description of embodiments of the disclosure has beenpresented for purposes of illustration and description. It is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise formdisclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of theabove teachings or may be acquired from practice of the disclosure. Theembodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principalsof the disclosure and its practical application to enable one skilled inthe art to utilize the disclosure in various embodiments and withvarious modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may be made inthe design, operating conditions and arrangement of the embodimentswithout departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Suchmodifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments as wellas other embodiments will be apparent to persons skilled in the art uponreference to the description. It is, therefore, intended that theappended claims encompass any such modifications or embodiments.

What is claimed is:
 1. An airspace management system for an airspaceregion, the system configured to operate within a peer to peer network,the system including a blockchain containing a current deconflictedflight schedule for the airspace region, the system comprising: a nodeincluding a computer-useable non-transitory storage resource and aprocessor communicably coupled to the storage resource, wherein theprocessor executes application code instructions stored in the storageresource, the node configured to: generate a request for an airspacereservation in the airspace region, the request including flight plandata; identify any conflicts between the flight plan data and thecurrent deconflicted flight schedule; generate a validated airspacereservation if no conflicts are identified; create a block containingthe validated airspace reservation; and interlink the block with theblockchain such that the blockchain contains a new deconflicted flightschedule for the airspace region including the validated airspacereservation for broadcast over the peer to peer network.
 2. The airspacemanagement system as recited in claim 1 wherein the node is an aircraftnode.
 3. The airspace management system as recited in claim 2 whereinthe aircraft node further comprises an unmanned aircraft.
 4. Theairspace management system as recited in claim 2 wherein the aircraftnode further comprises a pilot operated aircraft.
 5. The airspacemanagement system as recited in claim 2 wherein the aircraft nodefurther comprises a passenger aircraft.
 6. The airspace managementsystem as recited in claim 2 wherein the aircraft node further comprisesa cargo aircraft.
 7. The airspace management system as recited in claim2 wherein the aircraft node further comprises an autonomous aircraft. 8.The airspace management system as recited in claim 2 wherein theaircraft node further comprises a remote controlled aircraft.
 9. Theairspace management system as recited in claim 2 wherein the aircraftnode further comprises a flight control computer that includes thecomputer-useable non-transitory storage resource and the processor. 10.The airspace management system as recited in claim 1 wherein theapplication code instructions of the node further comprise an instanceof a blockchain reservation application.
 11. A node of an airspacemanagement system, the node comprising: a computer-useablenon-transitory storage resource; and a processor communicably coupled tothe storage resource such that the processor executes application codeinstructions stored in the storage resource which configures theprocessor to: generate a request for an airspace reservation in anairspace region, the request including flight plan data; identify anyconflicts between the flight plan data and a current deconflicted flightschedule for the airspace region stored in a blockchain; generate avalidated airspace reservation if no conflicts are identified; create ablock containing the validated airspace reservation; and interlink theblock with the blockchain such that the blockchain contains a newdeconflicted flight schedule for the airspace region including thevalidated airspace reservation for broadcast over a peer to peernetwork.
 12. The node as recited in claim 11 wherein the node furthercomprises an aircraft node.
 13. The node as recited in claim 11 whereinthe node further comprises an unmanned aircraft node.
 14. The node asrecited in claim 11 wherein the node further comprises a pilot operatedaircraft node.
 15. The node as recited in claim 11 wherein the nodefurther comprises a passenger aircraft node.
 16. The node as recited inclaim 11 wherein the node further comprises a cargo aircraft node. 17.The node as recited in claim 11 wherein the node further comprises anautonomous aircraft node.
 18. The node as recited in claim 11 whereinthe node further comprises a remote controlled aircraft node.
 19. Thenode as recited in claim 11 further comprises a flight control computerthat includes the computer-useable non-transitory storage resource andthe processor.
 20. The node as recited in claim 11 wherein theapplication code instructions of the node further comprise an instanceof a blockchain reservation application.